The Situation

Ravaged by prolonged civil wars, Sudan has the largest internally displaced population in the world, mostly from southern Sudan. The war has aggravated the isolation of the southern part of the country that has long been one of the most backward and underdeveloped areas in Africa. The area has a phenomenal toll in terms of disease, poverty, suffering, high mortality rates and unchecked ignorance.

Kuol Atem Bol, Director of Alternative Education systems, Southern Sudan, describes the situation: “The two decades of civil war in Sudan has claimed over 1.5 million lives and displaced an estimated four million people. The educational system in Southern Sudan has been adversely affected by the two decades of civil war, depicting one of the worst illiteracy rate indicators in the world.

About 2.5 million children, youth and adults missed their basic education which has pushed the illiteracy rate of South Sudan to 85 per cent, while the overall rate of Sudan is 57 per cent.

“In Sudan, education was frequently interrupted by wars. Accessibility to education, retention and quality education was difficult to achieve. The gross enrollment rate in Southern Sudan is hardly 22 per cent. Only 20 per cent of teachers have attained formal training. Female teachers comprise only 7 per cent of the total teacher population.”, Atem Bol said.